2019 Season

RYA AWARD AND ROYAL PRESENTATION FOR BSDRA FOUNDING MEMBER

A Sevenoaks sailor and volunteer has been presented with one of the RYA’s most prestigious awards by HRH the Princess Royal, President of the RYA in recognition of his commitment to the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association.

Bruce Hebbert received a Lifetime Commitment Award after being nominated by the association and selected as a winner by the RYA Honours and Awards Panel. The award was presented at One Great George Street, London on Friday 22 November 2019.

The RYA is boating’s national governing body and the Volunteer Awards are considered the ‘MBEs' of the sport, honouring people throughout the UK for their outstanding contributions across all the disciplines the RYA represents, including sailing, windsurfing, motor cruising, inland waterways and personal watercraft.

Watch a video of the awards.

Bruce was one of the founding teachers of the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association 30 years ago, and a driving force behind UK team racing, providing consistent support to schools and universities in organising and running their events. His work greatly contributed to the modern form of team racing, umpiring and the World Sailing Call Book.

More recently he developed the 2k Team Racing circuit which now runs events across the world, providing fun competitive racing and ensuring that once students leave university there is a route to keep them within the sport.

A member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, he actively helps to run a number of their events and coordinate umpires, and he is also a key founding partner of Wealden Sailability in Chipstead.

The impact that Bruce has had on the sport over the decades is immeasurable. From coaching to umpiring to advice and support, there are few sailors of any level, background or skillset who have not, in one way or another, been influenced by his involvement.

Bruce said of the awards ceremony: “It was an extraordinary day, and a great honour to be with people from all over the UK who have contributed so much time and effort to share their love of sailing with others. The British Schools Dinghy Racing Association, which is now in its 31st year, has been a major source of pride, bringing hundreds of young people into sailboat team racing where they learn important life skills, while having great fun and forming lifelong friendships.”